Two

"We're at a loss here Bobby," Sam said to the eldest hunter in the motel room. Bobby had driven out to Newsburg and rented the room down the hall from the brothers. "We've got nothing but a few dozen kids hopped up on fantasy land."

"So you boys are telling me you've already been here a day and a half," Bobby had shown up late the night before with an arsenal in the trunk and a pressed and tailored suit in case he needed to impersonate. "And all you've got is Bridge To Terebithia on steroids?"

Sam and Dean both looked equally confused.

"Oh come on," Bobby leaned up against the wall, arms crossed and rolled his eyes. "It was a good book and I'll admit I cried a little. You boys really need to brush up on your pop culture."

"Ok so let's just say that's what we've got," Sam replied. "Why and more importantly how?"

"Yah got me," Bobby shrugged.

"Damn," Dean looked up at the eldest hunter and tightly clenched his beer. "You don't think this is some kind of trickster do you? You know, making things out of nothing?"

"Nah," Bobby replied, getting off of the wall and starting to pace a bit. "Not their MO. They're out for blood, not children's entertainment. Besides they go after dicks, how many children do you know that you can honestly say are dicks?"

"Not many." Dean replied.

"Really," Sam asked, surprised. "I would've thought children would run screaming at the sight of your face?"

"No I don't know many children," Dean replied, taking a sip of his beer then pointing a finger at Sam. "So shut your mouth bitch."

"Jerk," Sam replied.

"Could you two idjits focus please," Bobby said, cutting into their brotherly spat. "It's bad enough we've gotta worry about the damn apocalypse without having to worry about whatever the Hell's going on in this town."

Dean and Sam shut up immediately for they knew Bobby was completely right. The apocalypse had been looming over the boys like a dark and miserable cloud for months now. They both had been informed of Lucifer's supposed rising and what Michael planned on doing about it. Now they just had to sit back and wait for the magic to happen and if they could save a few people along the way then that was good enough for both of them.

"So," Dean stood up and threw away the beer bottle, his hand lingering on the neck for a moment before Sam watched him and made sure he tossed it out. They'd yet to address the drinking problem Dean seemed to be slowly developing, but the younger Winchester hadn't said a word. He knew many hunters chose to drink to forget or to numb some of the emotional pain that went along with the job. "What we have is some supernatural thing that loves preying on little kids, but not killing them. Some of them come back, but some don't. Like that Rolland kid, he's been missing for years now."

"What kind of monster just lets things go?" Sam asked.

"Not any that I've heard of," Bobby replied. "But that's why I brought books. Since there's no body to investigate we gotta think up a few possible theories. Dean, I think you should canvas the town and check to see if there's any more kids coming home or still missing."

"Alright," Dean nodded. He wasn't about to put up a fight when it came to getting out of research. He was more an action man; he hated the book work that came before a case sometimes. "I'll be back before you can say so get this."

Dean pulled on a jacket and exited the motel room leaving Bobby and Sam at the table with a mountain of books in front of them.

"Don't think I don't notice either boy," Bobby gave Sam a knowing look as he opened the first book of lore. "Let's just get this hunt over with."

Sam nodded, fully aware of what Bobby was referring to and then opened up a book himself.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean sat on the cold metal bench near the practically desolate playground where only a few children were playing. He leaned back on the chilly metal of the backing of the bench and sighed. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary except for the lack of children flocking to play. It was chilly outside though, he had to admit.

"I never get tired of it," Castiel, the angel that had pulled Dean up and out of Hell, appeared beside the hunter and scared the living daylights out of him. He jumped as Castiel sat calmly and continued to stare forward at the playground equipment. "Humanity that is."

"What do your haloed freak friends want now," Dean rolled his eyes, annoyed with the whole demon and angel war already even though it hadn't even begun yet. "Let me guess the blood of my first born?"

"What would make you think they would want that Dean?"Castiel cocked his head at the hunter, looking extremely confused.

"Sarcasm Cas," Dean grumbled. "Learn it."

"My apologies," Castiel looked back towards the children. "I take it you and your brother are working on a case?"

"Yes," Dean lowered his voice. "We figure we'd best do something constructive before this whole damn world disappears."

Castiel didn't reply. He knew Dean's opinion on this war. It wasn't like it was the angel's fault. He needed to carry out the orders his Father had given him. War was inevitable. He wished he could make Dean understand that. But there was no convincing the hunter of that. No way.

"Children are disappearing," Dean explained. "Some of them come back, but some don't. Parents are getting worried. It's been going on in this town for years."

"Father forbid another one does," Castiel replied and Dean's anger towards him softened a bit. Castiel wasn't like the rest of the angels. He was more in tune with earth even though he hadn't been there long. He held Castiel in a higher regard than the others because he truly was different. It was as though he'd started breaking rules left and right ever since he'd met Dean. "I'll keep in touch Dean."

With that being said, Castiel flew off back to Heaven. Dean was slowly getting used to the angel's random visits now and then. Except for the talk about the seals and anything to do with the angelic side of the war that apparently Dean was a major part of. He happened to look over at a woman nearby who was sitting on the other bench and reading some mystery novel. She kept a vigilant eye on the little girl who was climbing on the jungle gym nearby.

"Be careful Sierra," the woman commented and the little girl nodded before resuming her play. "Thank you."

"That your daughter," Dean managed a smile and pointed to the little blonde haired girl who was currently going down the slide. "She looks terribly smart."

"She's actually advanced," the woman smiled back and offered to let Dean sit. "Fifth grade instead of fourth. How'd you guess?"

"I know smart kids when I see em," Dean flashed his fake ID. "Seen enough of em."

"I take it you're here because of the child disappearances," she sighed. "Such a shame."

"Well that's why my partners and I are here," Dean replied. "Miss?"

"Call me Miranda." The woman said.

"Miranda," Dean nodded. "Do you have any theories on where they went?"

"Who doesn't," Miranda explained. "Child predator, wanderlust and childhood curiosity, being eaten by something in the woods. You name it, the adults of this town have thought of it. We don't know why only some of the kids come back, but those who haven't weigh deeply on the parents missing them. You see the doors of the houses nearby?"

"Yeah," Dean turned his head towards them, on almost every door hung a small wreath with a white ribbon in the center looped like the breast cancer ribbon. "What do they mean?"

"Each house with one has a child that's still missing," she explained. "The ones with pink ones are the children who have returned. The ones with just wreaths and no ribbons don't have children, but are in full support of those who do. Even the local cops wear tiny ribbons on their uniforms."

"I see," Dean nodded, taking it all in. He found it all so hard to believe, but this was commonly the nature of the hunts they went on. Everything involved was usually so hard to believe. "Well Miranda my partners and I, we're going to bring em all home."

"Every single one," Miranda asked with a hint of skepticism in her voice. "I'm sorry agent, but that seems highly unlikely. The police here have been trying for years now."

"Well," Dean stood up, tucking his leather jacket tighter to his body as the breeze picked up. "I promise you. We'll get them all back. We'll end this nightmare for everyone."

Miranda gave Dean a hopeful smile and thanked him as he walked away and back towards the motel room. There were no more mothers with children around and this mission Bobby had sent him on had been pointless. Miranda hadn't provided any more insight into what had possibly taken the children from Newsburg. She'd only shed light on everyone's reactions to their misfortune. Dean wasn't good with too many people's emotions bottled up in one place, he was better with results. But for now, at least he had an idea of who not to come to for information. Dean strode back into the motel parking lot right as the sun started to go down and the air begun to change.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Night had fallen and while the tired town slept one small girl was trudging her way through it, down the empty sidewalks, and to the woods. She smiled brightly and carried her stuffed toy dog named Henry along with her. Henry dangled in her arm and was practically dragging him. Her long blonde hair was a mess of knots and her purple nightgown was barely covering her bare feet. It was far too cold to be out without a jacket and far too late to be without a parent, but she didn't seem to care. She was on a mission. She followed behind her friend.

"My friend Robbie told me about Somewhere," she mentioned. "She said it's very pretty Mr. Org."

"It is Miss Sierra," Org the troll replied. His big burly and fat hand reached out for hers and she took it. Org didn't lack any graces despite his grotesque appearance. He was practically bald and wrinkly and wore nothing but these old pants filled with holes and a ratty old shirt. One yellowing tooth stuck out of his mouth every time he closed it and brought his lips together. He wasn't very tall. He had deep brown eyes and bare feet as well with giant toes and yellow toenails. He looked like every child's definition of a troll, but seemingly with a heart of gold. "I live there and very soon you will too."

"I want to," Sierra nodded with a huge smile. "Robbie says you're his favorite besides the leader lady."

"That's what they all say," Org sighed and mustered a bigger smile as he led Sierra to the edge of the woods. Her toes squished into the damp grass nearby. The approached an opening between two trees. Their branches were bending towards one another in such a way that it looked like a gate almost. "Don't worry Miss. Sierra you're going to be safe here and right at home."

"Ok Org," she nodded and giggled a little. The troll still held her hand; her hand was so tiny compared to his. "I wanna go with you."

"Well," Org nodded and he touched in between the two trees. The air there rippled like a portal. "Let's go then."

Sierra and Org walked through the portal hand in hand, leaving the sleeping town behind them.

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